"The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans," Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim stated, "but Palestinians look forward to an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza, and look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital."
"The blind support for the Zionist entity 'Israel' and its fascist government, at the expense of the future of our people and the security and stability of the region, must stop immediately," he added.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu built a strong allyship when the president-elect was formerly in office from 2016-2020. While Trump has expressed his support for Israel since Hamas' October 7 massacre in the Jewish state led to a full scale war, he has also been critical of some of Netanyahu's wartime decisions. Last week, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu that he needs to work to end the war by his inauguration date, January 20, 2025.
Nevertheless, once Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election, Netanyahu celebrated his victory in a statement: "Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America."
Netanyahu spoke with Trump shortly after in a conversation that was described by Israel as "warm and cordial" during which the pair "agreed to work together for Israel's security, and also discussed the Iranian threat" against Israel as the regime backs its terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah.
When reached for comment by Newsweek in response to Naim's statement, an anonymous Israeli official said that "maintaining and building upon the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan feature of American politics since the founding of the Jewish state."
"We have no doubt that this will continue to be the case," the Israeli official stated. "Going forward, we look forward to a strong working relationship with his administration to bring about a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East."
